The Return
by AnitaFaulks
Summary: It's been three years since the Monstrum events. Until one day a reminder comes looking for something that belongs to him. One-shot with possibility of being full story.


"Boys, please leave," Lara said curtly, inclining her head towards the door.

"Who is this Lara?" Alister edged forward.

"Please, just leave," Lara's eyes never left the scruffily dressed man standing in the doorway.

"You gonna be okay?" Zip asked.

"Fine, thank you," Lara glowered as Kurtis' lips curved into a slight smile.

Zip and Alister looked at each other briefly before slipping out into the corridor, closing the door lightly behind them.

"Close the door," Lara snapped. Kurtis stepped in, wiping his motorcycle boots on the large mat whilst slamming the door shut.

"So this is the abode of the infamous Lady Lara Croft," he looked around and whistled. "You have a beautiful home."

"Your Chirugai is in the vault, I will get it for you and then you can be on your way," Lara walked through the glass panels through to the security room. She took a seat behind the desk and began the security procedures to unlock it.

"How have you been?" Kurtis rested his arms on the top of the computer screen above her.

"Oh you know, continuing to preserve ancient artifacts and secure the continuation of mankind. You?" she raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"What's wrong with you? I thought we made a good team. We saved the world didn't we?"

"What do you want Kurtis?" Lara looked up.

"I… I need my Chirugai," he said, stepping back. Lara continued to type in the security codes. She hit the final button and the wall panel slid back.

"It's through here," she stood up and flicked a switch, lighting a florescent strip that ran along the wall, lighting the way.

"You want me to stay here?" Kurtis said. Lara thought about it for a few moments.

"Come through," they walked silently down the passage built in-between several of the walls in the centre of the manor, walking two flights of stairs until they reached a large metal door. Lara flipped down keyboard and began entering the second layer security codes.

"Man, this place is a fortress," Kurtis said, watching the width of the metal door as it opened. As the door fell back a light immediately lit up the room. A small, steel lined cupboard built right into the foundations of Croft Manor. In the past it has housed her father's manuscripts during a particularly turbulent time and before that the diamonds he had brought back from a dig in Somalia. But now the manuscripts were held at the Council for British Archaeology and the diamonds had been donated to museums, Lara had little use for the vault. It was bare except for one small box sat in the centre of the middle shelf. Lara leant forward and flipped the lid open, standing back quickly. The Chirugai began to stir, lifting and spinning above the box. Kurtis held his hand out and it flew into his palm, slotting carefully over his fingers. The blades shot out and then retracted.

"Wow it's good to have this back."

"You could have had it back sooner, only I-"

"I know," Kurtis slotted it into the inner pocket of his heavy jacket. He turned back to Lara but she had already begun walking back up the stairs and towards the main entrance hall. He followed her, catching up as she stepped back out of the tunnel.

"I never did get to say thank y…"

"What happened?" Lara spun around, her voice angry and tears glistening in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"Where-did-you-go?" Lara snapped.

"I don't like public p…"

"It's been three years. Three years since I found that thing in a pool of your blood. What was I suppose to think?" Lara cut him off.

"I was badly injured, but the Chirugai, I thought you'd work it out…"

"Eckhardt told me he killed you. Right before I killed him that's what he said. I waited in Prague for six weeks after I destroyed the sleeper. Nothing. You cover your tracks very well, and that's six weeks I will never get back," Lara bit her lip.

"I had to get out of there, I had other business to attend to, I needed to be back on my feet…"

"Why are you here?" Lara shook her head. "You could have summoned the Chirugai anytime you wanted."

"You think that would work with it locked in Fort Knox?" Kurtis' lips twitched into a smile.

"I think we both know that wouldn't stop your power."

"I wanted to see you, before I move onto my next project," Kurtis leant forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"And what is your next project?"

"Taking down the final member of the Cabal, I found them Lara, they're hiding out in Canada."


End file.
